Chipping with Control

When faced with short chip shots around the green, you should be getting up and down with ease. I like to consider a short-chip shot like this, as a modified putt.

Here are some suggestions to help make these short chips more automatic.

1) Choke Down – For this short shot, you will need the added control and reduced power that a choked down club produces. This forces you slightly closer to the ball and should help you judge distances more accurately.

2) Acceleration – The number one fault of amateurs around the green is the deceleration. It’s hard to notice if you’re not looking specifically for it, but if your chipping is extremely inconsistent, I’ll put my money on it that you’re deceleration .

Even on these short shots you must be accelerating! Let the length of your backswing dictate the amount of power your chipping stroke generates, never the speed of your follow-through. Far too often do I see players “chipping” with long backswings that are slowing down as they near the ball. For pretty much every kind of chip, you must follow-through to ensure the ball gets out cleanly… acceleration ensures this happens.

3) Putt It – When chipping, your stroke is identical in length and style as a putt to the same target. With a proper chipping setup, the ball will be positioned slightly further back in your stance, resulting in a downward blow that pops the ball over the long grass and gets it rolling soon after it hits the green. Apart from ball position, the stroke is identical to a putt.

Practice this swing and use these tips and start saving your strokes guys!

Comments

Short chips should still be hit with an accellerating club. Double hits (two stroke penalty) often result from decelleration of the club face. Use as little loft as possible to clear the fringe and get the ball rolling without rolling well beyond the hole.